Toy



Aug. 15, 1933.

L. M. REEDER 1,922,746

TOY

Filed June 7, 1952 Patented Aug. 15, 1933 UNITED STATES TOY Lydia M. Reader, Columbus, om Application June '1, 1932. Serial'No. 615,877 2 Claims. (01. 46-47) This invention relates to a toy formed to represent the driving controls of an automobile and an object of the invention is to provide a toy or dummy steering apparatus which is of a port- 5 able nature and when placed within the automobile will provide amusement for a child in imitating the operating movements of the driver.

Another object of the invention is to provide a toy of this character designed to represent the interior of a steering compartment of an automobile with all the.driving controls thereof assembled in a single unit and in so constructing the same that it may be readily placed within the front or rear compartments of the automobile or used in other places for play.

A further object is to form the device so that it may be adjusted to fit seats or chairs of various heights in order that the child may reach the controls of the toy without discomfort and operate the same in a natural manner.

A still further object is to provide a toy of this character which is simple in construction,

strong and durable in its operation and comparatively economical to manufacture.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists of the following construction and arrangement of parts, hereinafter to be fully described and pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawing:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the toy comprising the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view F taken through the upper portion of the toy and disclosing more particularly the mounting of the steering wheel forming a part of the present invention;

Fig. 3 is a similar view taken through the lower portion of the toy and disclosing a connection at the lower end of the steering column;

Fig. 4 is a detail vertical sectional view taken on theline 4-4of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a detail sectional view taken through the lower portion of a control simulating the shift lever of a motor vehicle.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, the numeral 1 designates the toy in its entirety which has the general appearance of that portion of the automobile where the operating controls are situated but of a miniature size so that a small child may reach all the controls to operate the same in a natural manner. The toy which is of a portable nature and formed of any suitable material such as wood, metal or the like includes a platform or base 2 simulating an automobile floor board and provided with legs 3 which may be of suitable length to elevate the base 2 to suit a chair or seat of ordinary height so that the child may reach the foot controls of the toy. The legs 3 may have their lower ends equipped with rubber tips 4 so as not to injure the surface upon which the toy is placed and to prevent shifting or slippage thereof while in operation. Secured to one edge of the platform or base 2 is an upright support 5 55 for a miniature copy of an instrument board 6 and arranged at the juncture of the support 5 and the base 2 is a foot board '7 which is arranged at an angle to the base 2 and serves to brace and strengthen the toy at this point.

Carried by the foot board '1 is the steering apparatus 8 formed in this instance to include a tubular column 9 provided with a collar or flange 10 at its lower end which rests upon the top surface of the foot board '7. The lower end of the column 9 which extends through the foot board is provided with threads for the reception of the clamping nut 11 securing the column rigidly in place with said foot board. Secured to the column 9 near its upper end is a brace 12 which has its opposite end bent upwardly and attached to the support 5 by rivets or other fastening devices 13. Received within the upper end of the column 9 is a rod 14 which has its upper end reduced so as to form a spindle 15 for the rotation of a steering wheel 16 35 and the mounting of the members 17 representing sparks and gas controls which are held in place by the threaded connection 18 shaped to omamentally finish the upper end of the steering wheel mounting. The rod 14 is telescopically positioned within the column 9 and adjusted longitudinally thereof to raise and lower the wheel 16 and. the adjustment maintained by a set screw 19 carried by and threaded into the side wall of the column 9. The wheel 16 which is mounted for rotary movement upon the spindle 15 may thus be turned to simulate the standard steering wheel of an automobile steering column.

To give the toy a more realistic appearance, the floor and foot board 2 and 7 respectively may also 100 be provided with controls of which the floor board has positioned thereon the simulation of a shift lever 20 including the movable lever 21 provided with a knob 22 at its upper end. The lower end I of said lever extends through a slot 22 found in 105 the foot board I and is pivoted to V shaped bolts 23 screwed or otherwise secured to the top surface of the floor board or base 2. The clutch and brake pedals 24 are each formed with a stem 25 which is foot board 7 and provided with a key or pin 26 extending transversely through the lower end or the stem to keep the same in place relative to the board 7. Arranged between the wearing plate 2'7 secured to the upper surface of board 7 and the foot engaging portion 28 formed with the upper end of the stem 25, is a compression spring 29 which normally serves to hold the pedal in an elevated position but which permits the pedal to be depressed like that of a motor vehicle. To prevent the pedals 24 from turning axially with respect to the foot board 7, the stems 25 of the pedals may be provided with longitudinally extending grooves 30 in which are received tongues or projections 31 formed with the wearing plates 27 and acts as keys to hold the pedals in proper operating positions. Other controls such as an accelerator pedal 32 may also be provided upon the foot board '1 and if desired, the instrument board or panel 6 may include turnable knobs 33,

and meters 34 which may be painted on the panel or formed of sheet metal and secured thereto.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, it will be seen that a toy has been provided which is the miniature representation of the operators or driver's compartment of a motor vehicle and which is of such construction as to be readily positioned within the front or rear compartment of the vehicle so that a child may operate the same to satisfy the desire of imitating the driver of the vehicle. When used within the automobile or vehicle, the toy may be anchored in any suitable manner and one form of anchorage is by use of .soft metallic bars 35 attached at one of their ends to the base 2 and the other ends capable of being bent and inserted between the seat or cushion and the frame for holding the same, not shown, which seat arrangement is the standard construction of automobiles now in use. The toy has the advantage of being extremely simple in its construction and yet includes all the essential controls in a single unit which, due to its portability, may be placed for play wherever desired. The toy, while planned for use in an automobile, will find many other uses in the constructive play of an imaginative child and may be put in front of a chair or chairs to play automobile or sight seeing bus. It may also be mounted on a toy wagon or, truck or put on wheels in front thereoi to. convert the same into a toy which will give added interest to the child.

Although I have shown and described what I consider to be the preferred form of the invention, nevertheless it will be understood that various changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the sub-joined claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a toy of the character described, comprising a base simulating the floor board of an automobile, an upright support attached to the forward end of said base and carrying a miniature instrument panel at its upper end, a foot board between said support and floor board, a steering apparatus including a tubular column having its lower end attached to said foot board, a rod adjustably positioned for longitudinal movement within the upper end of said column, and a wheel rotatably mounted on the upper end of said rod.

2. In a toy of the character described, comprising a base simulating the floor board of an automobile, an upright support attached to the forward end of said base and carrying a miniature instrument panel at its upper end, a foot board between said support and floor board, a steering apparatus including acolumn having its lower end attached to said foot board, and a steering wheel rotatably mounted at the upper end of said column.

LYDIA M. REEDER. 

